There seems to be a lack of joined up thinking/government 
There seems to be a lack of joined up thinking/government
This thread raises another interesting question for me, how are the users charged for electricity. To run a train I assume you have to pay some form of rail access/usage charge, maybe based on tonne milage. If I am using diesel traction I can source my own diesel at whatever the best rate I can find is. If I am using electric traction how am I billed? Does the locomotive have a consumption meter? Is the charge again based on some tonne milage calculation? Who sets the charge per kWh, do I get a choice of supplier?
Here, Switzerland, it is somewhat different. The railways have their own 16 2/3 Hz hydro electric stations and their own 16 2/3 Hz grid so the costs/charges are internal. There are some 50 Hz - 16 2/3 Hz converter stations.
https://company.sbb.ch/en/sbb-as-business-partner/services-rus/energy/sustainable-energy.html
Diesel can generate quite a lot of pollution:
In the UK, electric trains get their electricity from Network. Network Rail charges the train companies for the electricity they use. There are two ways that Network Rail can measure how much electricity each train uses: by guessing or by checking. Guessing is based on things like how heavy, fast, and far the train goes, and where it travels. Checking is done by using meters on the train that record how much electricity the train takes from the wires above it. In 2010, some train companies started using meters instead of guessing, which means they pay for what they actually use. This is better as it shows how much electricity each train uses and makes the train companies want to use less electricity and pollute less. But it is also hard because it needs meters on every train and making sure the data is correct. There are also some problems in measuring the electricity from the wires, such as losing some power, having different frequencies, and having different phases.
Network Rail sets the price for each unit of electricity (kWh) for electric trains with the help of ORR. The price changes depending on the time of day, the season, and the region. The price also includes a part for carbon cost, which is how much pollution is caused by making electricity for the railway. The price is updated every year based on changes in electricity prices and carbon costs.
Electric train companies have to use the electricity from Network Rail through the wires above them. They cannot choose a different supplier for their electricity. But they can choose to buy their electricity from Network Rail at either a fixed or a variable price. A fixed price means that the train company pays the same price per unit of electricity for a certain period of time, no matter how much the electricity prices or carbon costs change. A variable price means that the train company pays a different price per unit of electricity that changes with the electricity prices or carbon costs.
In Switzerland, as you said, it is different. The railways have their own power stations that use water to make electricity and their own power grid that uses a different frequency (16 2/3 Hz) than the rest of the country (50 Hz). So they do not have to pay anyone else for their electricity. There are some stations that can change the frequency from 50 Hz to 16 2/3 Hz if they need to connect to the national grid. The Swiss railways also use meters on their trains to measure how much electricity they use and charge each train company based on their actual usage. The price per unit of electricity is set by Swissgrid, which is the company that runs the national grid, and includes a part for using the network and a part for supplying the energy.
The economical position taking in all expected running costs over the 20 year life cycle of the locomotives is critical in establishing whether to use electric or diesel hybrid. If DB analsis is correct then HS2 needs to immediately reassessed and the electrification of the line deferred but rail track installed quickly before costs rise due to delays.
According to what I’ve found on the web, DB Cargo has ordered up to 400 Siemens hybrid trains that can switch between electric and diesel modes depending on if there’s any wires above them. This could cut down on how much fuel they use and how much pollution they chuck out, as well as make them more handy and trusty.
As for HS2, I think that it’s a tricky and touchy project that has good and bad points. I don’t have enough knowledge or skill to say if they should put off wiring it up or not.
DB Cargo has ordered up to 400 Siemens hybrid trains
The Siemens Vectron - sadly, as I understand it, not usable in the UK as they are to EU loading gauge.
Ah yes ! According to Wikipedia, the Vectron has a width of 3.0 m and a height of 4.12 m, while the UK’s loading gauge has a maximum width of 2.75 m and a maximum height of 3.66 m. Therefore, the Vectron would need to undergo some changes or adjustments to meet the British requirements, which could raise the cost and complexity of the project.
Another challenge for the Vectron locomotive is to get official approval from the UK’s safety authority, which is not an easy process. The approval process could take a long time, depending on the technical and regulatory requirements and challenges. For example, the Class 99 was ordered by GB Railfreight in April 2022, but it is expected to begin service in 2025. That means a three-year gap between ordering and operating the locomotives.
Which has reminded me that, now I'm back from my holidays, I'm supposed to be preparing an IET LN talk on why it takes so long to get new products approved for the UK rail network! (Although my talk will be on the infrastructure / signalling side rather than rolling stock.)
Good luck! I suppose With a history that spans over two centuries and a legacy of diverse standards, regulations, and specifications, the UK rail network is among the world’s oldest and most intricate. New products, such as infrastructure or signalling systems, will need to go through a thorough and extensive approval process to make sure they are suitable, compatible, reliable, and safe.
Good luck! I suppose With a history that spans over two centuries and a legacy of diverse standards, regulations, and specifications, the UK rail network is among the world’s oldest and most intricate. New products, such as infrastructure or signalling systems, will need to go through a thorough and extensive approval process to make sure they are suitable, compatible, reliable, and safe.
will need to go through a thorough and extensive approval process to make sure they are suitable, compatible, reliable, and safe.
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